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Thursday, 1 January 2015

6 Health Benefits of Green Tea

We Brits really love our tea,
especially good old English Breakfast. In fact, a whopping 165 million cups are
drunk every day in the UK alone, according to this infographic.
It has lots of health benefits as well as just generally making us feel good,
but there is another tea out there that trumps this in terms of health benefits
by a mile.

That is of course green tea. Here
are 6 of the main health benefits it provides its drinkers, hopefully
persuading you to swap one cup from your normal tea to this one!

1. It speeds up your metabolism

Scientists have identified 6
catechins in green tea; 1 of them being epigallocatechingallate (EGCG). EGCG found
in green tea increases the metabolic rate of the human body, which means that
it intensifies levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns
food into calories, which in turn aids weight loss. It also helps to reduce
body fat and bloating, and can be a great way to curb those hunger cravings.

2. It helps to reduce cholesterol

Green tea contains tannins that are
known to lower cholesterol in the body which is great as a high cholesterol level
can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, strokes and heart
conditions. Of course, you’ll need to maintain a healthy diet alongside
drinking green tea to keep your cholesterol down, too.

3. It aids your immune system

Green tea has anti-oxidants along
with polyphenols and flavonoids that help to boost the immune system of the
human body; therefore making you healthier by helping you fight against
infections more efficiently. It also contains high levels of vitamin C which is
great for helping you get back on your feet quicker if you do become ill with a
cold or flu, for example.

4. It helps to combat stress

As well as the anti-oxidants in
green tea, it also contains a compound called theanine which is an amino acid
that helps in relieving stress and anxiety. The low levels of caffeine in green
tea compared to normal tea (or coffee) have also been proven to lower the
levels of stress and anxiety in frequent green tea drinkers.

5. It aids healthy hair and nails

Green tea is known to inhibit the
growth of DHT (Dihydrotestosterone), which is known to prevent hair growth and
cause hair fall. It also contains high levels of vitamin C and E which are
great for shiny hair and strong nails, too. Here are some suggestions on what
to eat for healthy hair, too!

6. It helps to manage your blood pressure

Caffeine should generally be
avoided for those who suffer greatly with a high blood pressure, though the
levels of caffeine in green tea are so low that it certainly is a good
alternative to regular tea, and you can even buy caffeine free alternatives. Green
tea is good for the heart which is therefore in turn good for high blood
pressure.